Parking meter post construction



July 19, 1960y E. MoDoNALD 2,945,659

PARKING METER P osT CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. lO, 1957 INVENTOR 16N Earl/Mam@ 2,945,659` PARKING METER PosT CONSTRUCTION Earl McDonald, 655 Walnut St., Coshocton, Ohio Filed oct. 1o, 1951, ser. No. 689,447

v claims. (ci. 248-156) This invention relates to parking meter supports and the like.

In general, the invention aims to provide a parking meter post construction which is easily installed, which provides a tight or non-wabbling support for such meters, and which is so made that if it is struck by a motor vehicle, it cannot be picked up and carried olf for pilfering of the meter contents. Other objects will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying ldrawings forming a part of this specification. i

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional elevation of a parking meter post embodying the invention, a conventional parking meter being shown at the upper end of the post;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the post and base on a larger scale, parts being broken away;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections on lines 3-3, 4 4 and `5--5 respectively of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 omitting the cable and its connection.

Referring particularly to the drawings, I have shown a parking meter mounted on a post or standard 11, which is preferably a steel pipe 2 in. in diameter and 49 in. long. The steel pipe may be galvanized or cadmiumplated or treated in any known manner to resist rust or corrosion. The parking meter itself may have any desired construction, and is secured rigidly by any known method to the top of the post. Pipe 11 is supported vertically by a base 12 which will now be described.

Base 12 is preferably a piece of steel pipe, treated as previously mentioned, or a piece of cast iron pipe, 21/2 in. in diameter, 91/2 in. long. A circular collar or reinforcing ring 13 is welded as at 14 to the outside of pipe 12 just below its top. Two set screws 15 are located n tapped bores provided in the reinforcing ring 13 and the walls of pipe 12, so that the inner ends of said screws contact the outer walls of post '11 when the latter is set into its base 12, thus permitting a tight connection. These set screws are preferably about 21A: in. apart, center to center, and are designed to cooperate with an eccentric piece 16 welded or otherwise secured to the lower end of base 12 on the inside. Eccentric piece 16 is a piece of steel 21/2 in. long, 1A in. wide and 1A; in. thick, with its upper end beveled as shown, so that the post 11 will not seat on a shoulder provided by said upper end but will slide past that end and then move over. The eccentric piece 16 is so located that its longitudinal axis, which is vertical, is half way between the circumferentially spaced set screws 15. When the two set screws are set up, they throw the post 11 over toward the opposite side of the base 12, and the bottom end of post 11 is also tight, because it engages the eccentric piece 16. Base 112 is set in cement 17 poured into an excavation, with the reinforcing collar or ring 13 just above the top surface of the cement. A steel hood 18 is slipped down on the post 11; this hood is -frusto-conical, with a central aperture 19 which is 2% in. in diameter. Preferably the hood has a base 71/2 tates Patent in. in diameter. To secure the hood over the base 12, so that access cannot be had to the set screws 15, a locking ring 20 is provided. 'I'his locking ring may be secured to the post 11 in various ways. I prefer to employ a diametrically extending cross pin 21 21/2 in. long with its ends battered or upset. Thus the locking ring is held rigidly just above the top of the hood, and the hood rests on the pavement or cement surface, surrounding the upper end of the base 12. The only way the standard can be removed is to drill the head off the cross pin '21 and then punch it out. It is practically impossible to shear the cross pin as it is of high quality steel, 3/16 in. diameter.

Many municipalities have been troubled by pilfering of parking meters; sometimes this is accomplished by first breaking the meter posts or rather, their base connections, Vt-hen picking up the meter posts with the meters still attached, throwing these assemblies into cars or trucks, and driving to a secluded place to remove the money from the meters. The described base connection is difficult to break. However, as almost any construction of this character can be demolished by battering, I have devised my post so that if struck a heavy blow, it will break at just the right place, viz., in a plane beneath the hood 18, but above the top of the base :12. This breakage is assured by using a pipe cutter (not shown) to cut the surface only of post 11, as indicated at 22, the cut being circular and just deep enough to insure breakage of the post at that point, if the post is struck a heavy blow. The circular cut 22 will be hidden under the hood. To prevent stealing of the broken upper part of the post with the attached meter, I employ a woven wire cable 23 which may be initially live feet long and @7&6 in. or more in diameter. The two ends of cable 23 are secured firmly to two steel rings 24, 25 each fixed to the hollow post 11 on the inside by pins 26, 27 respectively. If the post is broken, in the plane of cut 22, the steel cable 23 will span the break, and as it is anchored, it will prevent anyone from carrying the meter post off. lf desired, more than one length of cable may be used, or a chain may be employed to effect the same result.

The foregoing description makesnumerous references to materials, dimensions and shapes. It will be obvious that `all such references are merely by way of illustration and that the invention is not confined to any particular construction.

What I claim is:

l. A parking meter support comprising, in combination, a base adapted to be fixed in a payment and presenting an upwardly opening recess; a post whose lower end is inserted in said recess; the upper end of the post being adapted to support a parking meter; means securing the lower end of the post to the base; a hood surrounding and extending below said securing means for concealing the joint between the post and the base; and means rigidly secured to the post directly above the hood and locking the hood with its lower end and adapted to rest on the pavement.

2. The invention defined in claim l, wherein the means rigidly secured to the post is a locking ring surrounding the post directly above the upper smaller end of the hood, a cross pin passing diametrically through the locking ring and post and having its ends battered or upset.

3. 'Ihe invention defined in claim l, wherein the base is a hollow pipe set in the pavement, and a reinforcing collar is secured to the upper end of said hollow pipe on the exterior, a pair of set screws being passed through radially tapped bores in the collar and pipe and contacting the surface of the post when placed in the base, said set screws being relatively close together, and an eccentric piece fixed to the inside of the hollow base pipe at its lower end in a line midway between the axes of 3 said set screws, said eccentric piece being contacted by the lower end of' the post when the set screws'are setup.

4. A parking meter support comprising, in combination, a hollow post. adapted to hold a. parking meter at. its upper end; a base adapted' to be fixed in a pavement and presenting an upwardly opening recess inlwhich` the lower end of the hollow post' is placed; means to secure the hollow post to said base; a hood'surrounding andv extending below saidv securing means to conceal the jointL between the post andthe base; means rigidly secured to the post to lock the hood thereon; the hollow post being-weakened by a shallow circumferential'cut above said' securing means; and a strong flexible inextensible member' anchored' to the hollow post on the inside at' p oints above and below said shallowV cutthereby to hold' the parts ofthe post together if the post is brolcen at said shallowcut. Y

5. The invention denedrin. claim 4, wherein the hood` is. generally frusto-conical, theupper smallery end ofrsaid hood substantiallycontacting the hollow post, the lower larger end of said'hood adapted to rest on the pavement, said hood-locking means comprising a locking ring surrounding the hollow post .directly abovethe upper end" of said. hood, and means securing said locking ring to said post thereby to lock the hood in the concealingandY protecting position aforesaid; the circumferential cut in' the post being concealed insidev the hood between the upper end ofthe base and the upper end of the'hoodi 6. The invention dened inclaim 5, wherein theifiexible and having a recess open-attits ltop and receiving the lower end oilsaid post; removablev fastening elements carried by the base member at its top, above the pavement, and engaging the'posttoclamp the post ,inverticalV position in said recessaa hood surrounding said post and surrounding and extendingbelow and concealing said fastening ele- Vments and the partlof. th'ebase mernber-k that is above the pavement; and means xed to the post directly above the upper end of the hood to hold the hood substantially immovable with the lower end adapted to contact the pavemenn, thus preventing access. to saidfastening elements.

References fCited in thedile of' thisY patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 805,707 Brown Nov. 28, 1905 1,130,089/ Krolikowski Mar. 2, 1915 27,098,388 Hruska Nov. 9, 1937 2,111,357 Cornell Mar. 15, 1938 2,126,030- Peterson` Aug. 9, 1938 2,161,046 Hitzeman June 6, 1939 2,719,693 Penberthy Oct; 4, 1955 

